I Didn't Sign Up for This! (Hiatus)
by Gekkou Tenshi
Summary: My life is rather mundane as an average salaryman living in Japan, I seek to gain an executive position in my company so that I can enjoy a leisurely and guaranteed life, but before any semblance of it could be achieved, I was pushed into a train by a former co-worker that I fired this afternoon, now I'm reincarnated in the body of a prince which don't seem to have a bright future.
1. Chapter 1 : Wheel of Reincarnation

**2013 AD, Tōkyō.**

1st POV.

I am aware of my deficiencies as a human, my personality is twisted in various way, and I have every complex imaginable, but... I'm superior in every way to the incompetent in front of me.

"Please sir, I'm begging you-give me a chance!", I forced down a disgust to keep my expression stoic and professional, tch, as an HR, how many times had I heard this line now? And yet, this incompetent man before me never learned, never even try to make the effort to clean up his performance, if I gave an ounce of sympathy to this man, it will only cause trouble for the company and the clients.

"P-Please! I have my daughter's college's tuition to consider and the loan on my house...", I'm done listening to this man's excuses, If he cared as much for his daughter and his life, he wouldn't miss out on work and disregard the attempts to make himself better. "You brought this on yourself."

"You've missed work without permission multiple times, and you've ignored the company orders to improve your work ethic- I myself had even offered to help you in many ways in many occasions, but you never even listen nor paid any attention to it. Now then, what reason does the company have to _continue employing you_?"

"W-wait a second... P-please, y-you can't fire me!", I handed this incompetent a career support book to at least help him find a work based on the order of the corporation, "Please leave and kindly clean out your desk.", The incompetent man before me slumped in his chair, but I do not gave him any sympathy nor care.

I sighed, it wasn't wise for me to lose a composure, I reported this to the senior manager above me and finish the work. As long as I'm being paid for my labour, I'll tell people that they're laid off, even if it's such a hassle.

* * *

Obeying the corporation rules are the easiest thing in the world. My hand suddenly felt the drop of rain, and I looked up, the rain started to trickle down, as was obvious as it is the autumn season. I hurried to a subway station to catch a train to go to my apartment in the Saitama area.

I brought up my favourite book, titled 'freedom of choice', As I kept reading into the book, I find my concentration slipping as I remembered the events this day has transpire, regardless of the man's performance, the company are now down an employee, and have to hire a new person again, the employees under me have to adjust to another new worker coming in, account for any mistakes in the said worker and the paperwork required for both.

Regardless, if the man truly care for his families and accommodation as the man has claimed, the man would have adhered to the rules and regulations that were in place to help make everything smoother. It is my duty as an HR to oversee the performance of the workers. This is a professional matter and must be handled professionally, there is nothing personal in it as they are all there to make the company run smoother and to fill their pocket.

Well, at least most of them were- my ambition isn't just filled with using the jobs to pay the rent for an apartment or a family, no, I was aiming to gain a corner office of my own and to eventually lead the leisurely and secure life of an executive, if I follow the rules as a proper worker and blackmail some of the higher ups, I could do that, the thought of that future brought a smile to my face, arrogant and hungry, but a smile nonetheless.

Well at least that was the plan before I was pushed into the rail when the train is going in full speed right in front of me, I suppose the kind of person who gets laid off, will prioritize an immediate, emotional impulse over logic and reason.

Time suddenly stops right before my eyes, people are unmoving, each drops of rain are visible to my eyes, Is this death? My eyes are flickering, I'm trying to get a clue of my situation.** "I'm getting tired of this."**, a man suddenly said this, **"Humans these days, think they are all knowing, and have lost sight of what's right and what's wrong."**, another joined in, but it's a woman this time.** "They've strayed too far from the laws of the universe and think that the law don't apply to them."**

What on earth are these people saying? **"They do not have the ability to emphasize with others."**, the school girl said suddenly.** "And not a trace of faith in their creator."**, a pigeon suddenly said.

Wait, The Creator? **"Correct."**, I think of the gravity of my situation, I was pushed by a vindictive former co-worker into a speeding train and then the being I assumed as 'God' stopped time seconds before my death to speak with me through some random bystanders, and one talking _pigeon._

**"Indeed."**, my panic has begun to subside as my mind became calm, I was right to assume that this is a near death hallucination, I do not believe the existence of 'God' or any other divine beings, looking from both logical and rational perspective.

**"WHAT?"**, several people cried out in a same time, incredulous I suppose.

Beside, how could I, for a certain _believes _that this is a 'God', thinking logically, only a God or a devil could exist beyond our knowledge of the world. But hypothetically, if God were to exist, he would never let something so absurd as trying to get a point across, and why would he chose a faithless heathen in his eyes like me?

In other words, he must be... **"The Devil?"**, a bespectacled girl asked me, Or perhaps something of a similiar entity, which I would call 'Being X' for simplicity's sake. **"Apparently, you truly do lack faith."**, the same girl asked, with an irritation written on her face. And if this is 'God' It would be very much an exercise of futility to start lecturing me on faith. If a thing like this is to happen, they need to submit the details to me in advance and in a writing.

**"I am that which returns people to the wheel of reincarnation and the tides of fates, initiating rebirth, and as that, there are firm rules I must abide by."**, A college student said, gaze becoming cold as he stated **"But I shall make an exception for you."**, My mind raced as he said this, The wheel of reincarnation, so people did born after they die then? **"That is no longer any of your concern."**, a vest wearing man stated.

I forced down the panic- Are this being unfamiliar with the concept of 'duty of disclosure'?! And if he claimed to be 'God', surely he would follow the rules he puts into place and avoid heat-of-the-moment decision like this one?

**"Administering seven billion people are already beyond my capacity, I'm overworked as it is"**, a man looking at his watch while clutching his briefcase. **"Frankly, reincarnating faithless people are already a waste of my precious time."**, a balding bespectacled middle aged man looking on his watch said, scorn audible.

Overwork is the first sign of a failed business model, I knew. Why would people need to cling to something they had no certainty existed if the tools to fill their core needs were widespread and common place? Therefore, people who would cling to 'God' or another would be the one that can't gain access to said tools and needy enough to believe in something to alleviate their suffering, rather than work to overcome it themselves, Only the weak, when they're in a dire straits, cling to someone, a salaryman like me would never do that.

**"So, basically, your lack of faith is because of the world you are in"**, a baby mused.

**"You live in a world where needs are met, science are advanced-"**

**"You have a strong position in society,"**

**"And you have never been in dire straits before."**

And this conversation are not taking a good turn, my eyes are widening as I understood what they are insinuating, while they are technically right, they are also jumping to a conclusions about me too fast! My hand twitched as I try to move and reach the so called 'Being X'.

**"If I put you,"**

**"Into the 'dire straits',"**

**"You speak of,"**

**"Your faith,"**

**"Will awaken?"**

T-They must c-calm down! I never have any ounce of an intent to break any of this universal rules about reincarnation!

* * *

_A city in a crater, with many houses with a crimson roof._

_A palace with red banner imaging a fire and a Chinese character below it._

_A temple with a cave below it, full of scrolls and histories._

_A family in black-crimson robes, dressed in a way that signifies a royalty._

_A temple very high up in the air burned as many tanks and soldiers seek to destroy it._

_A boy encased in a blue iceberg, and a pair of siblings, brother and sisters freeing him from it._

_Bright sapphire eyes that held a smoldering rage and hatred._

"**TRY TO LIVE AS LONG AS YOU CAN- IF YOU DIE AGAIN, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER REINCARNATION, NOW GO.**"

W-Wait—!

* * *

3rd POV.

_W-wait what?! _was his last coherent thought before every bone in salaryman Ikeda Mikami's body was crushed by a speeding commuter train, ending his life as a worker.

* * *

**完结.**

* * *

**Author's Note**

_I was very much curious that what if a pragmatic, cold, and overly ambitious man was inserted into Prince Zuko, he was supposed to be reincarnated as Tanya von Degurechaff, the main character in Youjo Senki, I was struck with an inspiration when I was riding my motorcycle to go home, I welcome constructive criticism and reviews, Ja Ne._

**Word Count : 1,714.**


	2. Chapter 2 : Tides of Fate

**_TRY TO LIVE AS LONG AS YOU CAN- IF YOU DIE AGAIN, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER REINCARNATION, NOW GO._**

_"__W-Wait—!_

* * *

1st POV.

Darkness, it is all that I could see, seconds ago I felt like my entire existence was shrouded by an unimaginable pain, I knew that I was crushed by a speeding commuter line after I was being pushed by an ex-employee that I just fired, then I came face to face with a being that called themselves 'God', I call them, 'Being X'.

Sigh, what a troublesome fate I have gotten into, now I'm stuck in this warm and goo-ey void without a body to boot, how I'm still conscious is beyond me, Ikeda Mikami, that is my name, well, was I suppose, I already got a rather comfy life as I work in a multinational corporation as an HR, an after I advance my position into an executive and got enough money to support my retirement, I plan to just go into a countryside in Japan or some foreign country like New Zealand or Canada and retire there.

But it all failed when I died in that station, oddly, I just feel annoyed that I died in such time and place, my acquaintance and co-worker often said that I'm very pragmatic and detached from reality as a person, they're not wrong, I never form an attachment from a young age.

My father is just a simple salaryman, and he was divorced from my mother, I grew up in a materialistic and hedonistic household, my character was defined by it, father died when I'm in university, so I must fight tooth and nail to get a scholarship and work in a part-time jobs to get my basic needs, that is why I have zero tolerance for people like my ex co-worker.

I have zero track of time, I do not know how much time I have spent in this nigh-timeless place, be it a year or eternity I can never know, but as time passes, the cocoon I am in is getting smaller and narrower, it felt suffocating, is this hell, I wonder, I was never a believer in God and the afterlife and those things, they seem silly to me for many reason, but I was proven wrong it seems, they really existed, and I got the proof after my timely death.

Being X said that I was to be reincarnated, and if I don't die a natural death, there will be no further reincarnation, in other words, it meant that I won't live again beyond that point, the worst is that he would reincarnate me in a hellish place like a warzone or a place like the anime _Tokyo Ghoul_, the chance of me surviving there is less than zero.

I then saw a _tunnel_ of sort, I crawled there, well, sort of, what greets me isn't a bliss that I would expect, instead I was greeted with coldness beyond measure, the winter in Japan do not held any candle to this, it is **_freezing_**, luckily, I was wrapped in a bundle of warm clothes, still, with the shock of the cold, I cried like never before.

From that further point, I cried for what I can assume, immeasurable time, it is _strange_ that my senses aren't like what it used to be, I can't feel anything, not my hands, feet, nor any other, hell, I can't even see, I don't think I'm blind, I can feel a body, _my body_.

Though somehow it isn't working the way a body was supposed to be, I don't even know what's happening, only that I can hear bits and pieces of voices, they are vaguely similiar to Japanese, but it isn't Japanese nor was it Chinese, I don't know what it is, and I especially hate not knowing things, it is _maddening_.

I just can't hold in the thoughts and everything so I fell unconscious, it was just too much for this body, for me, I just hope that this can't get any worse, but considering it's Being X, I shouldn't really expect much.

* * *

3rd POV.

Ursa, that was her name, she was married to Prince Ozai of the royal family of the Fire nation, she left her hometown and her relationships behind on the order of the royal decree, she cannot protest, for it is the order of Fire Lord Azulon himself, a wedding ceremony of hers and Prince Ozai were celebrated in the fire capital, located in an inactive volcano caldera.

Months after her _unfortunate_ marriage, she was pregnant, she was guarded in all sides in hopes that no one assassinates her and her fetus, there are many, well, _too many_ enemies lurking in the dark, and it's not just from earth kingdom or the water tribe, but from the fire nation itself, many are seeking to assassinate her as to decrease Azulon's power by killing his unborn spare.

Then, after nine moon cycle passes, her baby was born, he was a handsome one at that too, Prince Ozai named him, _Zuko_, a name meaning 'Lean on', as in he can be a good ruler as people can lean on his guidance and wisdom, but they did not know that the innocent little _Zuko_ was not at all what he seemed to be, he was a cynical salaryman that was reborn into an unfortunate fate that is the newly born prince.

Zuko was an odd child, his behaviour is very much odd to say the least, he seldom cries, there was one time, but it was because he soiled his pants, another time was when he burned himself, _somehow_, no one really knows how he burned himself, firebending only appears in age 7 to 8, never so young, it was understandable why his new family were very much confused.

* * *

The crown prince of the fire nation, Iroh, was still in The Earth Kingdom, trying to advance the siege of many cities there, the latest letter he sent, he was going to go to Ba Sing Se, the so called impenetrable city to break its nigh-impenetrable wall.

The Earth Kingdom, for the majority of its territory is still feudalistic and backward, its political system is full of feud and corruption, much like the Qing dinasty after the opium war.

The Fire Nation on the other hand, is reminiscent of Japan in the Imperial period, they have advanced technologies, trained and loyal soldier, strict discipline and propaganda, it is an autocratic state with an emperor as its leader, albeit less ambitious than Japan that has enemies in the western hemisphere, the four nations knows not of the existence of the western hemisphere in their world, for them, it has been always four, nothing more.

The water tribe, for the most part is isolationist in its policy, reminiscent of the Inuit people, the water tribe are divided into two nations, the northern water tribe and the southern water tribe, the southern water tribe was decimated by the fire nation's armada, the water benders are imprisoned, killed, or worse, there is no more visible water bender in the south.

The Northern water tribe though on the other hand, is thriving in the cold snowy landscape of the north pole, it has many water bender and its army rivals that of the fire nations, the fire nation had laid multiple siege on the northern water tribe throughout the 100 years war, but it was for naught, for the north has an advantage of the water, their large ice wall also protected them from the relentless assault of the fire navy.

The entire air nomads were massacred in the event known as sozin's comet, rumor has it that a small pocket of air bender still exist, hiding in the high mountains of the northern earth kingdom and or the polar islands near the southern water tribe, but it was merely a rumor, nothing more.

A search was conducted by Fire Lord Azulon to abolish the legacy of the air nations, but the search never yield any result, there was no concrete evidence of the air bender still existing.

The court of the fire nation knows that the cycle of the avatar had not yet been abolished, there's bound to be an avatar coming from the air nomads, although who, they do not know the identity of, for all their knowledge, they only think that they had all member of the air nation massacred to the ground, still, the paranoia of Azulon was well understood.

* * *

Time Skip.

1st POV.

I don't know for how long did this humiliation has been going on, but there had been no sign of it ending yet, I was now 3 years old, I sort of understand what these strange people saying, but I lack the necessary vocabulary to actually speak their language, I desires to go to the library to at least know the gravity of my situation, but I can't get there, because I don't know the layout of the palace.

One thing was certain, however, that I am a prince of some royal family, the world I am in seemed to stuck in a medieval and industrial period, it has an element of feudalism as it is pointed by nobles and medieval court and some industrial tank- or what seemed like it and steam ship that is made out of metal, metal that seemed like steel, how they would know advanced metallurgy and mechanical engineering is beyond me when they still retained to feudalistic system of bureaucracy.

Luckily for me, someone that seemed like my parents, a man with a long black hair, a goatee, and amber eyes and a woman that has a long smooth silky black hair that also has amber eyes who dressed in a royal manner assign a tutor for me, they say that the tutor will teach me basic language, mathematics, and politics as was suited to my political standing, I am a prince, after all.

But that in itself raises a question, why would that deplorable _Being X_ reincarnated me in a body of a royal prince? He said that I would be in dire straits so that I can believe in the miracle of his, or perhaps that dire strait had not yet come to pass, and is in the future, chill then passes through my spine, panic begin to bloom in my head, but I calmed myself, I must prepare for this life then!

The only reasonable path for me to go through is to become a soldier, as a prince, my fate is supposed to be guaranteed, but there is no such thing as too much preparedness and paranoia, the more I prepare myself, the softer the fall is- if it even come to pass, that is the worst case, still, I must be vigilant in this life.

The tutor my parents assigned then begin to walk towards me, "Honourable prince, your parents had assign me as your tutor, please come with me.", he bowed and said, I began to follow him towards a courtyard, he brought several parchment, books, and scrolls, we then sat in a bench overlooking a fountain that was in a Chinese styled garden.

He then start to take his book from his pouch and brought it to his hand, he then opened the book, "Young prince, today I shall teach you to read and write in our language, please pay attention.", He said to me, he then began to explain the character that was in the book, he gave a parchment and a brush and ink to me to draw the character.

I was reprimanded many times due to my sloppy writing, the strokes have to be in the proper order, the tutor urged me to write properly as it is a basic skill of a person of my standing, especially a prince like me, many character are similar to Japanese _kanji_, but many other are vastly different, for example, the character 気 and 气 has a different meaning even if it is similar, it is also read as _Qi_, albeit with a different tone, it is similar to Chinese, but it also has Japanese element too.

Once I was rather proficient in writing the character, we moved on to the next, without my notice, the sun had already begun to set, the sunset is quite beautiful, unlike anything that I had ever seen in Tokyo or any other megacity that I ever been in, the tutor then bowed before me which I responded with a light bow and excused himself, for now, life was relatively smooth-sailing.

I went towards the inside of the palace and went to my room to retire, my new father and mother were also there, I bowed before them to show respect and opened the door, my room consist of a queen sized bed with a soft mattress and wooden furniture like chairs and tables, there is also a closet and an indoor plumbing, I took off my formal attire and begin to dress with my pajama, I then jumped towards my bed and sleep, I only hope that tomorrow will be a good day.

* * *

**完结.**

* * *

**Author's Note**

_Hey, I'm sorry that I haven't updated for so long, it had to do with my study and internships, I can't really update daily, but I will try to at least update per month, I hope you like this chapter, please read and review, constructive criticism is always welcomed._

**Word Count : 2,300.**


End file.
